Double-decked freight-car.



f No. 735,123. 1 PATLNTED AUG. 4, 1903.

H. M. LYTLB.

DOUBLE DEGKED FREIGHT GAR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 12, 1902.

no MODEL. f 2 SHEETS-sum1.

No. 735,128.y v PATBNTED AUG. 4, 1903.

l H. M. LTILF..

DOUBLE DECKED FREIGHT CAR.

APPLIOA'TION FILED sBPT.12,19oz. H0 MODEL. zsHBnTs-snm z.

UNITED STATESA Patented August 4, 1903,

PATENT OFFICE.

DOUBLE-DECKED FREIGHT-CAR.'

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 735,123, dated August 1903.

Application filed September 12, 1902. Serial No. 123,094. (No model.)

To @Z whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY M. LY TLE, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Braddock, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Double-Decked Freight- Cars, of which improvement the following is a specification.

This invention relates to Van improved freight railway-car, and more particularly to that class of cars known as double-decker used for the transportation of hogs, sheep, calves, and other like animals, the object being to provide a means whereby the upper deck or floor may be elevated to a position beneath the roof of the car, converting the same into an ordinary freight or cattle car; and with these and other objects in view my invention consists in the certain details of construction and combination of parts, as will be fully described hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is an end sectional elevation of my improved freight-car, a part of which is shown in outside elevation, the said View being constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan View of one end of the car. Fig. 3 is a side central elevation of the car, showing the altered position of the upper floor in dotted lines.

To construct a freight-car in accordance with my invention, the said car consisting of the body portion l, formed in a manner well known in the art, I arrange beneath the roof a shaft 3, mounted in suitable bearings 4 and extending in the direction of the length of the said car, the ends of the said shaft projecting beyond the car a short distance. Each end of the above-mentioned shaft 3 is fitted with a ratchet-wheel 6 and is also provided with a rectangular portion 5 for the purpose of connecting hand wrenches or cranks 9 thereto.

Arranged within the body of the car l and occupying almost the entire width and length of the car is a platform or upper deck l0, constructed of suitable material and supported by stringers 18, cross-pieces 16, and trussbolts 17in a manner that when the said deck is at rest or the position shown on the drawings the weight of the same, together with its load, will be supported by timbers or iixed pieces 15, attached firmly to each inner side of the car. Mounted in bearings at each of the angles of the car and beneath the roof 2 are four shives 8, over which chains l2 are passed, one end of each being connected by 14 to each angle of the upper deck 10 and the other extremities attached to drums 7, rigidly placed on the shaft 3, one at either end of the car. Placed at one side of each of the ratchetwheels 6 are pawls 1l, the purpose of which is to prevent the shaft 3 from turning in one direction unless the said p'awl is released.

vIn operation the upper deck 10 will occupy the position shown on the drawings when the car is used for shipping hogs, sheep, calves, and other small animals, and when it is desired to use the said car for ordinary freight purposes the upper deck lO is elevated to the position shown in dotted lines at Fig. 3 'of the drawings.

To accomplish the above-mentioned movement of the upper deck 10, it is only necessary to operate the cranks 9 at either end of the car in the proper direction. The pawl l1 and ratchet-wheel 6, together with the connecting-chains l2, will elevate and retain the said deck at any desired elevation.

It is a well-known fact that these doubledecked cars such as are now in common use cannot be used for any other purpose than of transporting small animals, and as the upper deck is permanent or made rigid with the body of the car it is impossible to use the latter for any other purpose than that for which it was built.

It is obvious that various slight modifications and changes may be made in the' details of construction without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- Y The combination with the car-body, fixed beams secured to the vsides and extending throughout the length of the car, a deck slid- 'ably mounted in the car and adapted to seat on said beams, cross-beams secured toA the under face of the deck and adapted to rest on said fixed beams, truss-bolts engaging the under faces of said deck-beams and being attached to the end of the deck, stringere for said deck, a shaft journaled beneath the roof of the car, said shaft projecting from both IOO ends of the car and providedwith reetanguto the said eyes and the other end secured to lar portions for attaching means for rotating the said shaft, substantially as described. the same; ratchet-Wheels carried by the pro- In testimony whereof I have hereunto jecting portions of the shaft, means for locksigned my name in the presence of two sub- `5 ing said shaft against rotation, said means scribing Witnesses.

ada ted to engage the ratchet-Wheels, pulleys moupnted in the upper corners of the car-body, HENRY M' LYTLE angle-irons secured to the corners of the said In presence ofdeck provided with eyes, chains passing over M. E. HARRISON, :o the said pulleys, one end thereof connected M. HUNTER. 

